Cutout and load break switch



March 16, 1954 A. G. STEINMAYER CUTOUT AND LOAD BREAK SWITCH 5 Sheets-Sheeb l Filed April 26, 1952 INVENTOR. l

March 16, 1954 A. G. STEINMAYER CUTOUT AND LOAD BREAK SWITCH 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April 26. 1952 INVENTOR. Elwin G' e :Inma er* B j HZoPne-ry March 16, 1954 A. G. STEINMAYER cUToUT AND LOAD BREAK SWITCH 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed April 26, 1952 INVENTOR.

March 16, 1954 A. G. sTElNMAYER cuTouT AND LOAD BREAK SWITCH 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed April 26, 1952 INVENTOR.

March 16, 1954 A. G. STEINMAYER cufrouT AND LOAD BREAK swITcH 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed April 26, 1952 IN V EN TOR. Elwin, G nm e BY y HZZoz-ney Patented Mar. 16, 1954 1151-,

CUTOUT AND LOAD BREAK SWITCH Alwin G. Steinmayer, Milwaukee, Wis., assignor to McGraw Electric Company, Milwaukee, Wis., a corporation of Delaware Application April 26, 1952, Serial No. 284,545

1I) Claims. l

This invention relates to a cutout and load break switch for capacitor banks.

On power lines, it is frequently necessary to open the circuit for various reasons. Periodic inspection, timely adjustments or improved. part installations means that the current must be shut ofi so that the lineman will be safe. It is also desirable tov have a sturdy construction that can be opened again and again without damaging operative parts or blowing the fuse. I have devised a cutout and load break switch that as the door is opened, or a lever biased, a latch releases a fuse assembly allowing it to withdraw inwardly within a nbre fuse tube, thus breaking the circuit.

The primary object of this invention is to pro vide a cutout which operates as a drop-out fuse device under electrical overload and which. also may be operated manually to open the circuit under load without damage to the apparatus.

Another object of this invention is to provide a cutout device in which the fuse link is not damaged when the device is manually operated under load and in which the fuse link can be reestablished for further service after the device has been manually operated thus making it possible to open and close the fuse cutout as often as desired until the fuse link is ruptured by electrical overload.

Another object of this invention is to provide a cutout that has a fuse supporting casting attached to the porcelain housing by means of a iixed hinge, said fuse supporting casting having the leverage means of the cutout hinged and spring biased to it.

Another object of this invention is to provide a leverage construction which when operated, pivo .s around the fuse supporting casting and forces with its bias lower end the retaining latch downward to a point where it disengages a fuse link anchoring ferrule, freeing the entire fuse link assembly to spring upward into the fuse tube.

Another object of this invention is to provide a flexible cord attached to the lower end of the fuse link assembly to extend the spring in the fuse assembly to the point where the latch can be used to position the fuse assembly.

Other objects will appear from time to time in the course of the speeication and claims.

Several embodiments oi my invention are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation with the housing broken away and part oi the fuse assembly VKP,shown in section. .y

Fig. 2 is a section taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. l.

Fig. 3 is similar to Fig. 1 showing a modified construction in the lower portion of the fuse assembly.

Fig. 4. is a section taken on the line 4 4 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a view of Fig. 1 showing the cutout after the door has been manually opened and the circuit opened.

Fig. 6 is a side elevation of my invention applied to an open type cutout and load break switch.

Fig. "I is a fragmentary side elevation similar to Fig. 6 showing the latch open and the fuse assembly released.

This fuse cutout is designed to rit into one of the standard housings for closed or open cutouts made by the assignee of this invention. The closed cutout is shown in Figs. 1 and 3 and the open cutout in Figs. 6 and 7. The closed housing comprises a porcelain body portion I and a hinged door E. On the side of the body portion I are openings 3 and 4 for entrance and exit of upper and lower terminals respectively. The door 2 has a handle eye 5 for the purpose of opening the door with a switch stick. The lower edge 6 of the door is cut diagonally downward toward the outer side at approximately a 45 angle, said diagonal edge t resting on a latch means.

The body portion I of the housing carries hooklilze spaced portions it! so as to removably seat a fuse supporting casting 'i by means of trunnions 8. The fuse supporting casting l extends diagonally upward and has a yoke portion 9 to loosely hold the fuse assembly i3. A tongue I0 extends upwardly from the yoke portion 9 of the fuse supporting casting l and serves 'to limit the movement oi the door 2. Rods il extending to each side of the fuse supporting yoke 9 have U-shaped springs I2 pivoting around them to hold the door 2. One end oi the U-spring is attached to the door at lll and the other end of the U-spring is attached to the fuse supporting yoke at l 5.

A latch I6 forms the lower contact means at the lower end of the fuse assembly I3, and is attached to the fuse supporting casting 'l by a hinge means il. As can be seen in Fig. 2, the latch I6 has a straight leg portion I8 with a semi-circular portion It at the end opposite the hinge. A tongue 2t extends into this semi-circular portion I9 in a line with the straight leg portion lt. This tongue 2&3 is the means for holding a fuse anchoring ierrule 42 in closed cir cuit.

Resting on the latchl6 near its fulcrum so as to lessen the pressure is an arm 2|. The outer end of this arm 2| has a tubular portion 22 to encompass the lower end of the fuse tube assembly I3 and to which it is attched by some pin means 23. The tubular portion 22 extends downwardly 'ait '22a within the semi-circular portion I9 of the Vlatch |6 leaving a space 24 betweenthe sides of the semi-circular portion |9 and tubular extension 22a.

This tubular extension 22a has .a slot 25 an one side to allow the tongue of the latch 16 to pivot in and out. A bor'e within the tubular portion 22 has a shoulder 26 which on its upper side engages the fuse tube at 21 and on its under side provides a bevel 2B which .in cooperation with the tongue 29 forms a means of holding the lower expanded end 29 of the fuse anchoring ferrule 42.

IEhe fuse assembly 13 comprises a Ibre ltube 30 with an upper terminal 3| and a cap 32. This wpa' lend of l"the fuse assembly is .positioned by a spring farm 33 which notches downwardly 'at 434 to hold the cap 32. Fastened to the upper terminal `3| 'is a, liexible 4leader 35 fand an encompassing tension spring 36. 'I'he lower end of the tension spring e6 is .secured to an yinternally threaded collar 13.1 `crn'rstituting the lower terminal of the vflexible leader 35.

The @use unit itself is removable and comprises Ian upper ycylindrioiail ymember 38 provided with 'a threaded stem 39 removably screwed into `-the member 91. .A 'metallic sleeve'49 is anged over zthe upper end 'of the member I3|! and extends downwardly and has preferably `a tight Vrit with l 'a small Alibre tube 4=|. A metallic ferrule y42 extends upwardly Tinto the small fibre tube v4| and `is slidab'le @outwardly from said tube. It is held iniplace by means of the strain wire 43 yan'd'is "also oomiecte'd to the member 36 by `means `of "the .fuse Wire 44. The 'anchoring ferrule 42 yextends downwardly out of :the llower end of the fuse itube 4| :and at .its lower end 29 Stans .out vso as to 'engage the under side of vthe :internal shoulder '26 for the extended tubular portion 22a at 29 'as 'above described.

.1A :flexible oord 45 or some similar holding means is secured to 'the `expanded llower end porticm .29 iof the anchoring ferrule 42. This cord `45 can focused to #extend the 'spring .'36 to the point where the Vlatch :I6 can position tone fuse assembly t|3.

A conductive A'cable |62 be .attached to broth rthe fuse supporting casting and the 'latch with isufllcien't loop to allow for the .freedom fof 'movemenit between the ruse supporting casting .and the latch. This conductive fcable assures a smoother Snow lof current between the "said parts is possible lLtl/.n'ough a moving contact such Las the hinge 11.

variation of Fig. 3 is entirely in the shape of the latch 46 Aand the tubular member '41. 'The 'ffuse anchoring rerrule 42 `remains the same as in Fig. 1. The tubular member 41 terminates at :its Alower end on th'e upper surface 'o'f the latch 46 as shown yin Fig. 3 Awhereas the corresponding tubular portion 22 Ias 'shown in Fig. 1 has `an extension 22a .below 'a like vsurface on latch 16. The latch 46 isa 'straight piece, hinged theisame in y1., 'with .fa hole Y48 lin line with lthe far side `of the nfuse assembly. To -l'oc'zavt'e the Jfuse :anchoring iferrule 42 and fthe latch, the fuse anchoring ferrul'e is lpulled `outwardly and isomewhat toward the outer side for ythe ruse 'tube et by means of the flexible cord 45, until the Iel:-

panded anchoring ferrule end 29 is outside the tubular member 41. The latch 46 is then swung upwardly so that the hole 48 envelopes the expanded anchoring ferrule end 29 and a wedge action is performed on the said expanded anchoring` ferrule end 29 by the side 48a of the hole 48 and the "lower edge 41u10! thewbular member 41.

The door of both Figs. 1 and 9 is shaped diagonally at the lower end 6. As the door is 'opened as can be seen in Fig. 5, it pivots around the apivot ood 4| -by means of the U-shaped spring l2 which is Vfastened to both the door and the fuseeupportmg yoke 9. As the door pivots outwardly, the diagcmal edge 6 biases downwardly the latch W6 of Fig. 1 or the latch 46 of Fig. 3. As the latch t.|-6 moves downwardly as indicated by the dash dot lines the tongue 20 releases the fuse anchoring ferrule end 29 from under the shoulder 26 in Fig. 1. In Fig. 3, the latch 46 'pivots downwardly `on the pivot M., land @the wedging side 46mm the .hole "48 Swings iwayfm me www ma :n oit 'the fuse 'ammormg 61errule 42. movement releases the anchoring ferrule end-f42 so @that the upward spring tension 'of the lspring 136 draws the inner fuse 'assembly `upwardly `in the luse tube 39.

I-f overload should occur on 'the line, the :fuse link 44 will blow and break the circuit. .It will also release the fuse anchoring ferrule t2 iso that it drap down :in `the itu-buia: 'portion z2 'of Fig. 1 4or *the ulatch hole -40 of Fig. 13 to Indi cate that the `fuse has '.b'lown.

My latch .release vof titre inner fuse V'assembly can also be used on an open fuse cutout as shown in Figs. '6 and "-1. The details 'of `this wtou-t iconfstruction can be folmd `in yReissue Patent No. 212,7 47 `to William 0. Schultz zand rAlwiazi iG. Steinmayer and assigned to fthe y'same assignee fas this application.

Generally, it consists or an elongated `insulator 60 supported `intermediane .its ends in any suitable manner as yby moar-1s of the clamp 51|.. The upper send of the insulator carries 'the upper terminal indicated generally at 452 :and lower `end of 'the canins a flower terminal 'ini'dicated generally at 163. upper and lower terminaison provided apertures 554 for the reception of connectors and one or both of the terminals may :be :mow/*filled with e. tie .cyelet portion indicated rat :for the upper terminal. The impar terminal extends outwardly and has 'an upwardly recessed portion '56 :and alst'op flange lill rearwardly of said recessed portion. The lower terminal 53 is provided witha pair iof h'ook v'like members t8 which are ioined by means of a .nange portion 59.

`lr'hre cutout commises a :fuse 'tube 60 with lan upper terminal fil and 'a 'clamping 'cap 132 `winch :nts into ltrie :recessed lai-.clung portion 556. vThe :construction of the :use tube is similar to that.

#described for both Fig. 1 or Eig. 8, however, lI illustrate the form of Fig. 1 in the lower portion.

l'rne 'fuse supporting casting s3 is held by trunln'bn m''hS W4 btwn me Jptir 0f 1100K like fmembers .58. 'me :supporting casting S63 has o. :manipulaung ieyeflet si on :its inner l'side :and fa pivoting member 66 on its 'outer side. An 1U- :shaped spring 61 extends around the .pivot 66 and has one fend attached at C68 to the f-use lsupport- `ing cesti-ng 63 vand fthe other .Tend is attached at 269 to 'a liever means 10.

The lever 19 of Figs. 5 and 6 performs tlnes'ame :as the door fof Figs. `i1 ``and f3. A-n -eye- 'let 'portion 1| can be manipulated by a switch stick. The lower end of the lever lll 'ls t'raped diagonally at 12 so that as the lever 10 is pulled outwardly and pivoted on 66,'the diagonal lower edge 12 will pivot inwardly and force the latch I6 downward on its pivot point Il to the position shown in Fig. '7. The use and operation of my invention are as follows:

When an overload occurs the fuse link 44 and strain wire i3 are ruptured and the spring 36 draws the members 3l and 38 and the small fibre tube 4| upward in the main fuse tube 36. The fuse ferrule i2 is released and drops down and the latch l5 or it swings downwardly on its pivot I1 being biased in this direction by the pressure of the upper contact. After the latch I6 swings out of the way, the entire fuse assembly will drop to the position shown in Figs. 5 and '7. rIhe protrusion of the fuse tube downwardly serves as a signal to linemen to notify them of a blown fuse. The entire assembly of door, fuse tube, fuse supporting casting and latch can be lifted off the hooks iti and the blown fuse link removed and replaced by a new one.

If it is desired to open the cutout manually, it can be seen by referring to Figs. 5 and 7, that by pulling the door or a leverage means outwardly, it will pivot around projections from the yoke portion of the tube supporting casting. The diagonal lower edge 6 of the door will force the retaining latch downwardly to a point where it disengages the fuse link ferrule and the entire fuse link assembly will then be pulled upward into the tube by means of the biasing spring. This will open the circuit so that repair work or inspection can be performed.

It will be apparent that the cutout illustrated in each of the figures of the drawings is capable of breaking considerable load current when manually operated. This is made possible by release of the fuse link assembly 'it (Figs. 6 and '7) from its latching means It by action of the lower edge l2 of the lever means 'lil as aforementioned, thus permitting the fuse anchoring ferrule end 29 of the anchoring ferrule 42 to separate from the contacting surface bevel 2t (Figs. 1 and 2).

Said fuse anchoring ferrule end 2Q then moves upward adjacent shoulder 25 of tubular portion 22 forming an arc between said ferrule end 29 and said shoulder 2S when said last mentioned conductive components are separated electrically by the lower end 2l of the liber fuse tube 3i). The arc is extended by further upward movement of the fuse link assembly I3 and is extinguished by non-ionized gas evolved from the interior surface of the libre fuse tube 30.

When it is desired to close the cutout again, the fuse link assembly can be positioned by pulling the flexible cord i5 and extending the spring to the point where the latch can be used to position the assembly.

Thus, it can be seen that l provide an improvement in fuse cutouts which simplifies construction, reduces the number of parts, is rugged, gives protection from overload and can be opened manually again and again without damaging the `fuse link assembly. It can be used on either the housed or open type cutout. When overload occurs, the fuse link breaks and the fuse tube drops down which signals the lineman that the fuse has blown. The fuse link can be replaced by a new one and the cutout is ready to go back into service. However, the fuse assembly is suiiiciently sturdy so that the cutout can be opened manually innumerable times without causing damage or weakening to the vital parts.

I claim:

1. Affuse device comprising a fuse tube having an open end, a terminal at the opposite end of said fuse tube, a stationary contact normally connected to said terminal, a conductive tubular member adjacent the open end of said tube, a fuse link assembly normally electrically connecting said terminal and said tubular member, said fuse link assembly comprising a conductive leader and fuse section in series relation, a tension spring connected at its ends at points longitudinally spaced relative to said leader, and an anchoring ferrule adjacent the open end of said tube, said ferruie slidable inwardly of said tube under the bias of said spring, said anchoring ferrule normally electrically engaging said tubular member, and restraining means normally restraining said anchoring ferrule in contact with said tubular member and against inward movement in said tube and including releasing means for disengaging said restraining means of said fuse errule.

2. A fuse cutout comprising a fuse tube having an open end, a termina1 at the opposite end of said fuse tube, a stationary Contact normally connected to said terminal, a hinge member having laterally spaced trunnions pivotally supporting said hinge member on bearing surfaces, said fuse tube slidably supported by said hinge member, a conductive tubular member carried by said tube adjacent the open end of said fuse tube, a pressure arm carried by and extending laterally from said conductive tubular member, a fuse link assembly normally electrically connecting said termlnal and said tubular member, said fuse link assembly comprising a conductive leader and fuse section in series relation, a tension spring connected at its end at points longitudinally spaced relative to said leader, and an anchoring ferrule adjacent the open end of said tube, said ferrule slidable inwardly of said tube under the bias of said spring, said anchoring ferrule normally electrically engaging said tubular member, a latch pivotally connected to said hinge member and having a groove portion adjacent said tubular member, said latch being biased away from said tubular member by said pressure arm, a conductive portion on said tubular member extending therefrom and into said groove, the wall of said groove normally engaging said anchoring ferrule and holding it clamped to said vertical extension on the tubular member, and releasing means for disengaging said latch from said anchoring ferrule whereby the tension spring may retract the anchoring ferrule inward of said tube to open the electrical circuit.

3. A fuse cutout device comprising a fuse tube having an open end, a terminal at the opposite end of said fuse tube, a stationary contact normally connected to said terminal, a hinge member having laterally spaced trunnions pivotally supporting said hinge member on bearing surfaces, said fuse tube slidably supported by said hinge member, a conductive tubular member adjacent the open end of said fuse tube, a pressure arm carried by and laterally extending from said conductive tubular member, a fuse link assembly normally electrically connecting said terminal and said tubular member, said fuse link assembly comprising a conductive leader and fuse section in series relation, a tension spring connected at its ends at points longitudinally spaced relative to said leader, and an anchoring ferrule adjacent the open end of said tube, said ferrule slidable inwardly of said tube under the bias of said prising a conductive leader and fuse section in series relation, a tension spring connected at its end at points longitudinally spaced relative to said leader, and an anchoring ferrule adjacent the open end of said tube, said ferrule slidable inwardly of said tube under the bias of said spring, said anchoring ferrule normally electrically engaging said tubular member, restraining means normally restraining said anchoring ferrule in contact with said tubular member and against inward movement in said tube and including releasing means for disengaging said restraining means from said fuse ferrule.

8. A fuse device comprising a fuse tube having an open end, a terminal at the opposite end of said fuse tube, a stationary contact normally connected to said terminal, a hinge member having laterally spaced trunnions pivotally and removably supporting said hinge member on bearing surfaces, said fuse tube slidably supported by said hinge member, a conductive tubular member adjacent the open end of said fuse tube, a pressure arm carried by and extending laterally from said tubular member, a fuse link assembly normally electrically connecting said terminal and Asaid tubular member, said fuse link assembly comprising a conductive leader and fuse section in series relation, a tension spring connected at its ends atpoints'longitudinally spaced relative to said leader, and an anchoring ferrule adjacent the open end of said tube, said ferrule slidable inwardly of said tube under the bias of said spring, said anchoring ferrule normally electrically engaging said tubular member, a latch pivotally connected to said hinge member and having a groove portion for receiving a portion of said tubular member, said latch being biased away from said tubular member, a conductive portion on said tubular member extending therefrom and into said groove, the wall of said groove normally engaging said anchoring ferrule and holding it clamped to said conductive portion on said tubular member, and releasing means for disengaging said latch from said ferrule and comprising an insulating lever means pivotally supported intermediate its ends on said hinge member, said lever means normally biased against engagement with said latch, said lever means carrying switch-stick engaging means for removing said fuse device from said bearing surfaces and for pivoting said lever means to bias said latch to release said anchoring ferrule inward of-said fuse tube to open the electrical circuit.

9.y In a fuse device of the character described, a. fuse assembly comprising a fuse tube having a terminal at each end and open for expulsion at at least one end thereof, a hinge member mounted on said tube for pivotally mounting said tube in said device, a fuse link in said tube normally electrically connecting said terminals and including a flexible conductor, a fusible section adjacent said open end and spring means biasing said fusible section toward the opposite end of said tube, said fuse link having a portion projecting from said open end, in combination with a clamping lever pivoted on said hinge member, and normally clamping the projecting end of said fuse link to the terminal at said open end, and a releasing lever pivoted on said hinge member intermediate its ends, one end of said releasing lever member juxtaposed to the swingable end of said clamping lever and the other end of said releasing lever having manually engageable means for pivoting said one end of said hinge member into pressure engagement with said clamping lever thereby to release said fuse link for Withdrawal into said tube.

10. A fuse device comprising a fuse tube having an open end, a terminal at the opposite end of said fuse tube, a stationary contact normally connected to said terminal, a conductive tubular member adjacent the open end of said fuse tube and having interiorly thereof a shoulder adjacent its open end, said shoulder being bevelled to form a wedge-like portion extending outwardly relative to said tube, a fuse link assembly normally engaging said bevelled edge and electrically connecting said terminal and said tubular member, said fuse link assembly comprising a conductive leader and fuse section in series relation, a tension spring connected at its ends at points longitudinally spaced relative to said leader, and an anchoring ferrule adjacent the open end of said tube, slidable inwardly thereof under the bias of said spring, and having a cone-like portion normally electrically engaging said bevelled edge, and restraining means normally restraining said anchoring ferrule in contact with said edge and against inward movement in said tube and including releasing means for disengaging said restraining means from said fuse ferrule.

ALWIN G. STEINMAYER.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,151,159 Schultz Mar. 21, 1939 2,203,928 Schultz June 11, 1940 2,283,031 Barnitz May 12, 1942 2,466,486 Schultz Apr. 5, 1949 

